Osteoporosis is a widespread and expensive healthcare problem. Bone mineral density is used clinically to diagnose osteoporosis and generate an estimate of fracture risk. However, there is a large overlap in bone mineral density between those who fracture and those who do not. Additional factors have been sought to explain this overlap. A recent study has suggested that the chemistry of the bone extracellular matrix may in some way contribute to the propensity to fracture. Therefore, the purposes of this study are (1) to evaluate whether the differences previously seen are local to the fracture site or systemic, and (2) to determine whether the chemical differences seen are related to the architecture differences. A set of existing specimens will be obtained. Twenty specimens from individuals will vertebral fracture and a matching set of specimens from normal individuals will be evaluated to determine whether the carbonate/phosphate and mineral/matric (phosphate/amide I) ratios obtained using Raman spectroscopy are able to predict fracture. A separate subset of specimens will be used to determine whether the chemistry is related to the architecture. The first purpose has clear implications for the future direction of out research ? whether fatigue at the fracture site and the resulting remodeling is causing these changes, or whether systemic differences are related to a generalized propensity to fracture. This also is critical in understanding the potential of this technology for non- or minimally-invasive assessment of fracture risk. The second purpose is important in understanding whether this difference we have previously found is associated with architecture (as would be expected if it influences mechanotransduction) or is an independent risk factor for osteoporotic fracture.